Woooh! I don't normally give five stars to thrillers because I don't usually find them that thrilling but In The Dark was full of tension and suspense and each chapter just seemed to ratchet up the situation making it worse and worse for poor Nora Logue.
Set in Northern Ireland, Nora lost her daughter Daisy in the woods one day, when they were out having fun. She is left with no memory of the day and despite the best efforts of the police no trace of Daisy can be found. Nora becomes quite infamous when various amateur detective groups on the internet accuse her of either murdering her daughter or trafficking her for money.
In comes Izzy and Tom to make a documentary about Daisy's disappearance. This stirs up old feelings and the websites are abuzz with taunts and gossip. Nora has tried to move on with her life, marrying Brendan and having a little boy, Luca. She has never forgotten Daisy however, and agrees to take part in the documentary in the desperate hope of finding her again.
The character of Nora is immediately involving. The reader cannot help but feel for her. And the main documentary maker Izzy grew on me as the story went along. However it is the plot and the twists and turns that kept me reading and guessing all the way until the end.
Many thanks to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

In the Dark is a captivating and ultimately enjoyable read.

The book follows the reexamination of a cold case crime involving the disappearance of four-year-old Daisy Logue, with the main suspect being Nora, her mother. As a new documentary starts to be made about the case, evidence is reexamined and key people from the case quickly get involved. This structure allows Allan to slowly unravel the mystery of what happened to the missing girl, and it's impossible not to get drawn into the twists and turns of the plot as the truth is gradually revealed.

Without giving too much away, it's safe to say that the motivations behind the crime are revealed to be complex and rooted in a desire for revenge. This is a patient, carefully planned crime, and Allan does a great job of building tension and keeping the reader guessing.

The book is written really well, with Allan's unique voice and engaging writing keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The story is dark, emotional, and tense, and it's easy to get caught up in the mystery of what happened the day Daisy disappeared. Who is telling the truth and who is lying? The threats from mysterious true crime forum posters add to the intensity of the story, and it's impossible not to get drawn into the twists and turns of the plot.

While the main characters are not particularly likeable, the complex character development is a key focus of the plot. The character's flaws are a central part of the story, and Allan does a great job of making the characters feel real and fully fleshed out. Nora, in particular, is a mess - as you might expect - but Allan does a great job of making her feel like a real person rather than just a plot device.

The twists in the book are a mixed bag - some are predictable, while others are surprising. However, the ending does feel a bit rushed and over-the-top, especially after the book's slow start. That being said, the ending is still satisfying and nicely ties up the loose ends of the story.

Overall, In the Dark is a solid three-star book. While it may not be the most standout thriller, the writing is engaging and the story is still enjoyable overall.

This is a gripping family thriller.
Nora is still desparate to find out what happened to her daughter Daisy, seven years ago.
Nora can’t remember what happened other than the fact they were in the woods one minute and then she was gone, and it’s eating her alive.
She has another child now but still yearns for Daisy.
Izzy approaches Nora as she’s making a documentary about Daisy’s disappearance and Nora agrees to be involved.
It starts off ok but soon there is media attention and the trolls are targeting Nora online too.
When Nora receives a call which threatens her son, it all becomes too much for her.
This is a fast paced thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Holy Crap! I don’t even know where to begin other than this might be one of my favorite Claire Allen books yet! I absolutely love her writing and her stories because I feel like each one is so unique and that just continues with this book.

This was such a gripping thriller/mystery that just keeps the reader invested throughout the entire book. The pacing of the book was fast and definitely made you want to keep turning the pages to figure out what had happened to her daughter all those years ago AND what was going to happen in the current time to her family. I absolutely loved all of the twists because I did not see them coming at all and the ending was difficult to predict! Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fast paced thrillers with an unexpected ending!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

The book took a long time to get into and I was glad to finish it. The Nurse was far more gripping than this sadly. The plot centres around Daisy who goes missing and her mother Nora moves on as best she can with another child and husband. She never gives up hope on finding Daisy and is drawn into the life with amateur sleuths. The promise of a great book and story sadly disappointed. Thanks for an ARC.

I’ve read a few of Claire Allans books and this is possibly my favourite. I read it in two sittings, I couldn’t put it down. Claires writing is thrilling but realistic enough to be believable. There are quite a few books out about missing children but In The Dark has a unique take on the subject.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wow,well this book was thoroughly enjoyable. Filled with lots of twists and characters who you just want to shake. That sounds bad but it's true. Good story.

Definite recommend

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read.

All thoughts and opinions are my own

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books UK for sending an invite for me to read In the Dark by Claire Allan. This was a good book. I enjoy a missing child trope and this one was done very well. The twists and turns of this book were well done. I kind of guessed where it was going but I read a lot of thrillers so do not based that on the quality of the book. It was written well. There were some strong real life points made in the novel that I enjoyed seeing in the book that made it more real.

NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A great book to start of 2023 a very enjoyable read. The book says a lot about how the media can twist news stories to suit their own agenda. The story is told from two viewpoints. We see how Nora lives her life in the aftermath of losing her little girl, living under the constant public scrutiny with her new son and husband. We also see through the eyes of Izzy a true crime documentary publisher and how her actions have affected Nora and her family. Lots of twists and turns and a great conclusion. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

3.5 stars for me!

Nora Logue’s 4-year-old daughter, Daisy, went missing whilst the pair were on a walk in the woods 7 years ago and Nora still has no memory of what happened that day. Since then, she has met and married Brendan and had a new baby, Luca.

Still just about managing to cope, a documentary maker, Izzy, contacts her and wants to be able to tell her story and see if they can find out what happened to Daisy that day in the woods.

Soon, threatening and puzzling messages start appearing on the Amateur Sleuths forum Izzy is using to pick the brains of true crime fans. It becomes increasingly difficult to know who to trust as the threats make Nora more and more unreliable and everyone is behaving very suspiciously, each with their own motives for wanting to keep close to Nora and Izzy.

This was an absolute page-turner, filled with suspense and intrigue. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to Daisy and why Nora was being so threatened. However it did get a bit overly silly towards the end… but also had me in tears! Definitely a gripping thriller!

WOW. I was lucky enough to receive a pre publication copy, what a gripping read that keeps you guessing as the story unfolds and main characters continue to develop throughout the book. I have read many (all) of Claire’s psychological thrillers and she just gets better, the plots, the characters and their relationships making them a compelling read. I thoroughly recommend, you will not put this down so plan accordingly. What happened to Daisy, is Nora really unhinged, who can you trust?

A story about a mother and the search of her missing daughter. Norah's daughter has been missing for 7 years. She now has the ability to have fresh eyes in the case. Will this open up doors and Norah be reunited with her daughter.

This is a very interesting story that kept me occupied. I would recommend reading.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of In the Dark by Claire Allan.

Interesting plot. It kept the pages turning because you want to know the end.

Nora is plagued by the disappearance of her daughter. She was the last person to see her alive and she can not remember the moments leading up to her disappearance. 7 years have passed and a new opportunity arises through a documentary with a handful of internet crime solvers with fresh set of eyes to help.

Thank you for this arc!

Another fantastic, twisty thriller from Claire Allan.

I've read nearly all of her other books and enjoyed them all. This one was no expection.

I really liked the true crime documentary aspect of this book. It was an interesting plot point which I've not read a lot of in crime thrillers.

The writing was fantastic. I was hooked from the very beginning.

I did kind of guess some of the ending but not completely. There was still plenty of twists and turns to keep me intrigued throughout.

I really like the missing child trope, but I've read it so much it can be a bit overdone but this book managed to bring something new to the table.

Overall, fantastic read and I can't wait to read more from the author in the future.

7 years ago, Nora’s daughter Daisy went missing while they were playing together in the woods. Nora has no memory of what happened to her and as a result has spent every day trying to figure out what she did wrong and where her daughter went. Now it’s 7 years later and she’s married and has a son but she has never given up looking for Daisy. So when she is approached by a journalist who is filming a true crime series on her case and wants her to put her to get involved in it, she sees it as a chance to get fresh eyes on the case AB’s hopefully find more information that will lead to finding her daughter.
Nora is an unreliable narrator but then some of the other characters turn out to be unreliable as well and there are lots of twists to keeps you guessing up til the end.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Really enjoyed this- trying to figure out what happened Daisy-whonwent missing in a woods 7 yrs previously. some surprises in the process. Well written and had me guessing until the end

Thank you Avon for inviting me to review this book.

Claire Allan has become one of my favorite psychological thriller authors and this book is by far one of the best books she had written.

Seven years ago, Nora Logue and her four-year-old daughter Daisy went for a walk in the woods. But only Nora came out of the woods and to this day, Daisy, her daughter had mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Now Nora has met another man named Brandon and has a son Luca. In order to find out what really happened to Daisy that day, Nora agrees for a documentary with Izzy but soon found out that jeopardizing her son's life while she is making the documentary about the disappearance of her daughter.

This was a fast paced thriller, that will put you at the edge of the seat. The story is told from Nora's and Izzy's POV and from the first chapter till the end, it was completely gripping and quiet a page turner that you didn't really want to put the book down. The book mainly talks about the trauma the mother experience when losing a child, particularly when everyone is pinpointing the blame on the mother for neglecting her own child and also talks abotu a cult. The twist at the end was completely unexpected but the ending was bit rushed in my opinion, otherwise, I really enjoyed this book--if you are looking for a fast paced unputdownable thriller then this book is one for you--worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC. The book is based on my honest opinion only.

A well done twisty thriller about the past rushing back to a mother whose child went missing years ago. Nora was never able to explain what happened to Daisy that day in the wood but those around her in Derry have had a lot to say about it. She was able to pull herself together, fall in love, and have another child-a boy named Luca. Now Izzy and Tom are making a documentary and want her cooperation. How reliable is Nora as a narrator? Well, no spoilers from me but there's a darkness lurking here that will pull you in and keep you guessing,. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, A very good read.

I enjoyed the book, but have mixed feelings about the ending. I was hooked from the start and couldn't wait to find out what happened to Daisy and if Nora was involved with her daughter's disappearance. There were so many twists and turns. I didn't love any of the characters. I would have given the book four stars but the ending ruined it for me. When the truth about Daisy was finally revealed, the reason behind everything just seemed crazy. The blame for what happened all those years ago was put on the wrong person. Did Brendan actually love Nora? He wanted Nora to pretty much forget about Daisy and only focus on Luca. What he did was horrible. For the longest time I thought he might have been behind Daisy's disappearance. Did Izzy know anything about Tom before she hired him? So many people had ulterior motives throughout the book, and didn't really care about Nora's wellbeing. I'm surprised people were able to keep so many secrets for so many years.

I recommend the book. It wasn't my favorite but I still enjoyed it. It definitely kept me in suspense until the very end. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Avon Books UK through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

There are some interesting twists, and it did have me guessing, at times. It took a bit too long for things to really get going, and I struggled to stay engaged for a large portion of the story. Sadly, there wasn't anything about it that will stand out now that I've finished the final page.